The Research

“When someone wants to get a tattoo, they are often very careful in choosing a parlor where they use sterile needles that haven´t been used previously. No one checks the chemical composition of the colors, but our study shows that maybe they should,” explains Hiram Castillo, one of the authors of the study and scientist at the ESRF.

This is billed as the first study that tracks organic and inorganic pigments as well as toxic impurities thereof in tissues with tattoos.

Very little research has been done in terms of toxicity and impurities in various colors of tattoo ink and mixtures. Organic and inorganic pigments, preservatives, and heavy metals are contained within most tattoo ink. It’s well known that heavy metals are neuro-toxic when left in the body. Nickel, chromium, manganese or cobalt are some of the most common heavy metals in the ink. One of the core ingredients, carbon black along with the second most common ingredient along with titanium dioxide (TiO2) a white tint used to mix with other colors are used extensively. TiO2 is also commonly used in food additives, sunscreens, paints. However, this tint may cause delayed healing, skin irritation, and itching. With this research, the authors feel they have a much better picture of tissue harm when the pigment is in place.

“We already knew that pigments from tattoos would travel to the lymph nodes because of visual evidence: the lymph nodes become tinted with the color of the tattoo. It is the response of the body to clean the site of entrance of the tattoo. What we didn’t know is that they do it in a nano form, which implies that they may not have the same behavior as the particles at a micro level. And that is the problem: we don’t know how nanoparticles react.”

Using x-rays fluorescence and measurements they were able to locate micro and nanoparticles of titanium dioxide in the skin and lymphatic system. Previously only the chemical composition of the ink has been investigated. Researchers feel that the nanoparticles they found in the lymph may lead to chronic irritation and enlargement. In addition, Fourier infrared spectroscopy was used to assess biomolecular changes in the tissues in the proximity of the tattoo particles.

The researchers believe that the above is ample evidence of migration and long-term deposition of toxic elements from tattoo pigments for long-term irritation and inflammation, both locally and systemically.

Dr. Michael J. Koch, Editor for www.WorldHealth.net and Dr. Ronald Klatz, DO, MD President of the A4M which has 28,000 Physician Members, and has trained over 150,000 physicians, health professionals and scientists around the world in the new specialty of Anti-Aging Medicine. A4M physicians are now providing advanced preventative medical care for over 10’s of Million individuals worldwide who now recognize that aging is no longer inevitable.

Journal Reference: Ines Schreiver, Bernhard Hesse, Christian Seim, Hiram Castillo-Michel, Julie Villanova, Peter Laux, Nadine Dreiack, Randolf Penning, Remi Tucoulou, Marine Cotte, Andreas Luch. Synchrotron-based ν-XRF mapping and μ-FTIR microscopy enable to look into the fate and effects of tattoo pigments in human skin. Scientific Reports, 2017; 7 (1) DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-11721-z